Finding a new sponsor
Finding a new sponsor is a difficult task for many people, but there are resources available to help you in your search.
The UK government has established 'International Recruitment Hubs' to connect migrant care workers with new visa sponsors. A recent announcement will require care providers to try to hire an international worker already in England who registered with a recruitment hub, before attempting to take on someone from overseas. You can email the regional recruitment hub in your area to access support from them.
Campaigners have also built a database of care companies across the UK which are both licensed to sponsor migrant workers, and registered with the Care Quality Commission. This database is hosted by the Autonomy Institute, an independent research organisation, and was built by The Bureau for Investigative Journalism. This is not a UK government tool, but it may help you find a sponsor.
Other sources that may help you to find a new sponsor include:
- Sponsor Switch. This is a privately run social enterprise that aims to connect care workers on the Skilled Worker visa with new sponsors.
- The Care Quality Commission lists employers operating in the care sector. You can use their search engine to filter by industry area (eg: care) and the area where you would like to find work (eg: London).
- The government’s register of sponsors provides a list of all employers with a licence to sponsor migrant workers. You will have to download that list
- Ethical Recruiters List, NHS Employers. This is a specific list of approved NHS recruiters who may be able to support you with finding a new employer. You can search for organisations that provide support with recruitment for ‘senior care workers’ ‘care workers’ and other relevant job types.
- If you are a member of a union, they may also be able to support you with finding alternative employment.
Most roles require an application containing a CV and a cover letter. Take a look at our guide to the UK 's job application process to find out how to write the best CV and cover letter you can.
After you find a new sponsor
Assuming you still have a valid immigration status, you should be able to apply for permission to stay in the UK under the Health and Care Worker (or Skilled Worker) route. To do this, you need to ensure your potential employer is a licensed sponsor (you can check this on the Home Office register), that you are assigned a valid certificate of sponsorship, and that you meet the specific requirements for the application you are making (including the skill, salary, and English language requirements).
You should not have to pay recruitment fees
You should never be required to pay any recruitment fees. Genuine employers or recruiters will never charge you money to give you a job.
If an employer or recruiter asks you to pay fees, ask for an itemised list of what these fees are for so that you can contest them.
If your employer wants to charge you
Employers should not try to recoup sponsorship costs. To sponsor migrant workers, employers need to pay certain fees to the Home Office. This includes their sponsorship licence fee, as well as fees for the certificate of sponsorship and, where applicable, the Immigration Skills Surcharge. They should not try to recoup these charges from you or your wages. The Home Office may revoke the sponsor’s licence if they are caught doing this.
If you have an employment agreement containing clawback clauses for your visa fee, and believe these provisions are not lawful, you should approach a qualified employment lawyer for advice.
Proving your immigration status
You can prove your immigration status with your documents, or by using the government's online View and prove service. This service should give a real time view of whether, according to the records of the Home Office, you continue to have status inside the UK.
If you have a biometric residence permit (BRP), this will expire at the end of 2024, so you should apply for an eVisa as soon as possible.
You do not need to pay a fee to obtain your eVisa. Read our guide to learn more about eVisas and how to obtain yours.